Portable air-conditioning device



Oct, 25, 1932. H. D. BETZ 1,884,534

PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONINGDEFVICE Filed 0012113. 1927 ATTORNEY BY zJ akgl 5:

Patented Oct. 25, 1932 PATENT OFFICE may 1:. BE'lrz, or KANSAS CITY,inssoimr IORTABLE AIn-ooNnrrIomNe nnvron Application filed October 18,1927. Serial No. 225,972.

My invention relates to air condition methods and apparatus, and moreparticularly to devices of that character adapted for recirculating,washing and cooling air.

is An air conditioning process of the indicated type ordinarily providesfor drawing air through ducts for a considerable distance to a housinglocated adjacent the refrigerating apparatus, refrigerating, washing,dehu- 1 midifying and otherwise treating air, and conducting the treatedair back to the place of use. j

One of the objects of my invention is to treat the air in or adjacentits place of use, and conduct conditioning elements to the air to betreated.

Another object of my invention is to provide an individual andindependent unit for conditioning the air of a relatively small spacesuch as an oflice or room in a dwelling, for recirculating the air ofsuch space and conditioning it during the process of recirculation, andfor economy, efficiency and attractiveness of structural elements ofsuch a unit.

Further objects of the invention are the provision of a portableair-conditioning unit that may be installed in a room for temporary useand later removed, or that may be permanently installed either in theroom or in the walls, and the arrangement of refrigerating and similardevices suitably for .enabling such a unit to function.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention I haveprovided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which areillustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of air conditioning apparatus combining aportable unit embodying my invention, and arranged for serving a roomspaced from the refrigeration plant.

Fi 2 is a vertical central section of the porta ble unit.

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the unit housing on the line 33, Fig. 2,illustrating baflie elements for equalizing the cross section of an aircurrent induced by a fan in the hous- Referring more in detail to thedrawing:

1 designates a side wall and 2 the floor of a room, the air of which isto be treated by my unit, generally designated 3. The unit comprises ahousing 4 having a vertical body portion 5 preferably positioned forconvenient installation against the room wall; or which may be setinside the wall for permanent installation, a base portion 6 extend- 1ngoutwardly from the body portion and having a front port or air inlet 7and provided with a stop wall 8 closing part of the opening to produce acatch basin 9.

The housing is further provided with a head portion 10 comprising acowl-like outlet member preferably extending in the same direction asthe base and outwardly into the room, in which a fan 11 actuated by amotor 12 is positioned, supported by a bracket 13 fixed to a wall of thecowl or head portion of the housing. The fan is designed to draw airfrom the room through the port 7 of the base portion through the bodyand outwardly through the cowl and discharge it into the room adjacentthe ceiling and 7 preferably toward an opposite wall for deflection anddistribution throughout the room.

Arcuate baflle elements 14 extending transversely from Wall to wall ofthe housing as illustrated in Fig. 3, are provided to distribute equallyto all vertical sections of the cowl outlet the air which may be inducedby the fan to flow from the housing.

Located remotely from the conditioning element, namely the unit 3, andfor example in the basement of the house, apartment, or other buildingin which the device is used or elsewhere, is refrigerating apparatus,generally designated 15 and illustrated as a unit 16 of well knownconstruction including a compressor, condenser, motor and accessories,to gether with a storage tank 17 in which are coils 18 containing therefrigerant to be energized, circulated and actuated by the unit 16, ithe tank containing water to be cooled by the coils; and a pump 19actuated by a motor 20, which pumps cooled water from thestor age tankthrough a pipe 21.

The pipe 21 is led, as necessary or desired,

plates 25 of zigzag form are provided in the housing above therefrigerant-discharging spray nozzles, to prevent mist from being drawnthrough the housing by the fan, by intercepting and holding theparticles of moisture carried by the air current.

' Adjustable louvers may be installed in the cowl outside the fan, andother well known ventilating devices may be added as mechanical skill orknowledge of the art may suggest. The base is preferably insulated.

The structure having been provided as described and the parts assembled,the fan is set in motion and draws air from the room adjacent the floorthrough the housing the refrigerating apparatus supplying cooled waterunder pressure which is sprayed into the housing, the air drawn throughthe housing being washed and cooled by the spray. The washed air passingon encounters the eliminators by which excess moisture carried by theair current is trapped so that relatively dry air passes onward throughthe housing and is distributed by the bafiles for discharge into theroom, the excess moisture dropping from the eliminator plates tothecatch basin.

The air of a room thus recirculated is not only washed and cooled andprovided in 'a moving stream, but is dehumidified by reason of thelowering of the temperature of the air received, whereby part of themoisture content of the air is condensed, the products of condensation,together with the mist produced by the spray nozzles, being detained andremoved from the air current by the eliminators.

A plurality of the housing elements or conditioning units may beinstalled in various rooms and all may be served by a single assembly ofwater refigerating apparatus including a pump for pumping a cooledliquid to the several units.

It is obvious that while the disclosed method of refrigeration and airconditioning provides preferably for locating a conditioning unit in aroom spaced from the refrigerating apparatus, and a plurality of unitsin a plura-lity of rooms served by one or more pleces of refrigeratingapparatus, a plurality of the units may be arranged in a single room orenclosure for cooperation in conditioning the air supplied to theenclosure; and air inlets may be positioned as desired either forwithdrawal of air from the enclosure at points adjacent the housing, orat other desired 10- cations.

The device may be used in winter, for washing, purifying, humidifying orotherwise treating the air of a room, the refrigerating element beingdispensed with, and the eliminators being modified or omitted asdesired.

It is obvious that chemicals are among the means that may be utilizedwith the disclosed apparatus and method for conditioning the air of aroom.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An air conditioning device consisting of an elongated upright casinghavin later-. ally directed openings at the top andiottom of saidcasing, means in the upper part of the casin for directing a. spray ofliquid downwar ly, said means being adapted to be connected to a sourceof water under pressure, a fan in the casin for drawing airtherethrough, and means low the lower openin for collectin and leadingoff the water fa lin from sai spray.

2. air conditioning device including an elongated upright casing havinga laterally directed air inlet opening at the bottom of said casing, afan in the casing for drawing a column of air 'therethrough, means inthe upper part of the casing for directing a spray liquid into thecolumn of air moved by the fan, said means being adapted to be connectedto a source of water under pressure, and means below the air inletopening for collecting and leading off the water falling from saidspray.

3. In apparatus of the character described, in combination with a watertank, a refrigerationpla'nt for cooling the water in said tank, a conuit leading from said tank, and a pump for moving water under pressurefrom the tank through the conduit, a unit for coolin washing andcirculating air located remote y above said tank and comprising avertical casing having a vertically spaced air inlet and outletopenings, means for inducing flow of a current of air through thecasing, means for directing a spray of water into said current of air,and means for collecting and leadmg off water falling from said spray,returns for connecting said leading off means with the tank, and valvedmeans for connectmg said spray-directing means with said conduit.whereby delivery of water from the tank to the spray-directing means maybe controlled independently of the quantity of water delivered from saidpump.

4. Apparatus of the character described includ ng a water tank, meansfor cooling water in the tank, a unit including a vertical caslng havingair inlet and outlet openings and located remotely above said tank, amotor driven rotary fan mounted in the outlet opening to form anintegral part of the unit, means including a discharge pipe terminat ingwithin said casing for conducting water from said tank to the casing,means connected with said discharge pipe for directing a spray of WaterWithin the casing, and means f0? collecting and leading 01f waterfalling from the spray, a return conduit connected -with said leadingofi means for gravity movement of said collected water back to the tank,and a pump having an inlet from the tank and an outlet to said dischargepipe.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HARRY D. BETZ.

